Agenda and minutes

An apology for absence was submitted on behalf of Councillor Sandra Samuels OBE.

There were no declarations of interest.

[For approval]

Resolved:

            That the minutes of the meeting held on 13 January 2016 be approved as a correct record.

[To consider any matters arising from the minutes of the previous meeting]

There were no matters arising from the minutes.

[To approve the initial response to the budget consultation]

Councillor Johnson presented the report, which outlined the responses of the consultation undertaken to support the 2016/17 budget setting decisions.  He thanked councillor colleagues for their attendance at the various consultation meetings and officers for compiling the analysis of responses.

Resolved:

            That the responses to the 2016/17 budget consultation be received and taken into account in the final budget to be presented to Cabinet on 24 February 2016.

[To consider the comments from the Scrutiny Board in relation to the 2016/17 draft budget]

Councillor Johnson presented the report, which outlined the feedback from the Scrutiny Board in respect of the 2016/17 draft budget.

Resolved:

That the comments from the Scrutiny Board in relation to the 2016/17 draft budget be received and taken into account in the 2016/17 final budget to be presented to Cabinet on 24 February 2016.

[To endorse the strategy]

Councillor Gibson presented the report, which sought endorsement to the city’s Preventing Gang Involvement and Youth Violence Strategy 2016-19.

Resolved:

            That the city’s Preventing Gang Involvement and Youth Violence Strategy 2016-19 be endorsed.

[To pass the following resolution:

That in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following items of business as they involve the likely disclosure of exempt information on the grounds shown below.]

Resolved:

            That, in accordance with Section 100A (4) of the Local Government Act 1972, the press and public be excluded from the meeting for the following  item of business as it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information falling within paragraph 3 of Schedule 12A to the Act relating to the business /financial affairs of a particular person (including the authority holding that information).

[To present the outline business case for the establishment of a Council owned housing company and to approve the development of the full detailed business case to establish the company]

Councillor Bilson presented the report, which presented the outline business case for the establishment of a Council owned housing company and sought approval to develop the full detailed business case for future Cabinet consideration to establish the company.

Resolved:

1.    That approval be given, in principle, to the establishment of a local housing company as a commercial enterprise approach, which also aims to pump prime the housing market and produce well managed homes at market rents.

2.    That the Strategic Director of Housing be authorised to prepare a detailed business case for the first two years of the company to produce approximately 300 new homes and draft the necessary agreements, protocols and plans with a view to forming the company by July 2016.

3.    That the Strategic Director of Housing be authorised, in conjunction with the Directors of Governance and Finance, to engage suitably qualified and experienced legal and finance advisors to assist in the development of the detailed business case and additional housing capacity to support the work on progressing suitable sites with the estimated total cost of £190,000 being met from the efficiency reserve.

4.    That the company be a subsidiary of Wolverhampton Homes, wholly owned by the local authority with a small board of directors of appropriate council employees.

5.    That approval be given to the creation of a shadow board with membership of the Strategic Director for City Housing, the Strategic Director for Place and the Director of Finance, to consider the company arrangements in draft form to enable the smooth transition to the company being operational.

6.    That approval be given to the creation of a Councillor Steering Group with membership comprising the Cabinet Member for City Assets, Cabinet Member for Resources and two further councillors drawn from the controlling and opposition political parties.

7.    That this report be referred to the Vibrant and Sustainable Communities Scrutiny Panel for information and comment.